“No, it’s fine. It’s nice to not have to ask. I’m freezing,” Mia said.
Brutus snored quietly in the background with his back facing them.
“I guess you wore him out,” Micah teased, kissing the top of her head.
Mia laughed, snuggling closer.
“It was—fun. I’d never done something like that before. I just sort of went on instinct,” Mia said, feeling her cheeks get hot.
“Yea? I’m impressed. It was…good. To say the least. I miss you already,” Micah said, kissing the top of her head.
Mia leaned up and looked at him. His hard face seemed softer as he watched her.
“I guess we do need to separate at some point, don’t we?” Mia asked, feeling a knot in her stomach.
“I guess so. A pretty girl like you doesn’t need to be roaming for hundreds of miles with no shelter, and no assurance of food or safety. I would never want that for you.”
Mia felt affronted. Why was Micah choosing anything for her? She hated when men did that. It made her furious when they came to conclusions without ensuring the women in their life were on the same page.
“Do I get a say in that?” Mia hissed back.
“Huh? I don’t know what you mean.”
“My life. You can’t just say what I would and would not do. I mean you don’t even know me. This trip into the dark and scary woods was my idea, you know?”
“Keep it down, love birds,” Brutus groaned, putting his hands over his ears.
Mia and Micah went quiet and the silence stretched on between them. Mia pulled out of Micah’s hold and inched away. She instantly felt cold.
“Come back, Mia. You’ll freeze to death. I only want you safe.”
“Why?” Mia asked, sitting up, “You’re cold to me Mr. Grumpy Face, and you’re accusing one of my oldest friends of something so, so horrific!”
“You just said you barely knew her!” Micah said, sitting up.
Mia huffed, and slumped her shoulders.
“You sound like you have a theory about her,” Mia said.
“You promise you won’t get mad?”
Mia narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.
“I’ll take that as a no.”
“Fine. Go ahead,” Mia said, stiffening.
“It’s just a gut feeling. So again, don’t get mad. You…you don’t feel like you guys were set up?”
Mia felt like she was being hit over and over with a bag of bricks. She was not sure what was worse, the accusation or the fact that Micah, a man she was so attracted to, would accuse a friend of hers of something so malicious. Mia could not understand why Micah’s mind would go down such a dark path. Was this a sign of how Micah’s mind worked? Did he just assume the worse in people?
“What’s the matter with you?” Mia asked.
She was in disbelief.
“Nothing. I’m just—I’m a predator. I hunt a lot, but I’ve also lived with humans for a while. I know I’m not the softest guy, but…but I care about your safety. I feel a connection with you, but I can’t let that feeling, whatever it is, get in the way of my instincts.”
Mia was trying to process what he was saying. She was feeling the same way about him, but she did not know if she could get past how superstitious he was being.
“Your instincts tell you that my best friend from high school is a murderer? No a mass murder, or a fucking serial killer?”
Micah rubbed the back of his neck like he was searching for words.
“I just think it’s a crazy coincidence. Brutus and I passed like ten families that would have been a much better kill, for lack of a better word. They had to pass like thirty people to get to you. Are you sure Cora didn’t know about us?”
“Know about…werewolves? No! Of course, not. I think it would have come up while we were picking out flowers and the wine list.”
Micah took a deep breath and then he did something that shocked Mia. He held her hands. It seemed so unlike him to be doing such a sweet gesture.
“I’m not trying to accuse your friend of anything, but us being together like this is making me think about what it could be like for people like you and me.”
“I don’t understand.”
Mia’s heart was thumping in her chest. Was Micah asking her to be his girlfriend already. Was that even possible?
“I’m saying I like you, but it is not easy to be together. You could keep your human form, but the travel would wear on your body and then kids? I don’t even know how that would work.”
“Easy, tiger. Ask me out to dinner first,” Mia said, teasing him.
He laughed and kissed her hand.
“I’m saying…I’m saying there are ways to be like me if you wanted.”
“You mean I could be a werewolf?”
Micah nodded.
Mia’s heart was now thumping like a drum. She wanted to scream yes, but she needed to think.
“Micah I like you, but I think I need some details first. Like, does this hurt?”
Micah laughed and leaned in, kissing her softly on her lips.
“Yes,” Micah said, pulling her on top of him.
*****
Mia woke cuddled up under Micah. He was awake, staring into the rising sun. His mouth was twitching like he was working on the world’s hardest math equation. Mia could hear from the snoring that Brutus was not ready to join the land of the living anytime soon.
“Morning,” Mia said, stretching.
“Hey, did I wake you? I was trying to be still,” Micah said, kissing her softly.
“No, I always wake up pretty early.”
“Me too.”
“We didn’t exactly finish our conversation last night, Micah. You distracted me,” Mia said, hitting his bare chest playfully.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. In fact, since you’re up—”
Mia held her arm out blocking him.
“Nope. Nice try. Talk first. How does this werewolf thing work?”
Micah’s face fell, and he leaned back sulking like a petulant child.
“I have to bite you.”
“What?”
“Told you it would hurt. Sex would be better than talking about this.”
Mia felt like she would throw up.
“Where do you have to bite me?”
“Anywhere really. There is a venom in my saliva that reacts with something in most humans.”
“Most humans?”
“Yea, it’s not like vampires where you can turn automatically. We’re not immortal technically. We can bleed out and die just like any other wolf or human. It just takes the right circumstances. We just prefer to say we live a very, very long time.”
“So you could bite me and nothing might happen? Then what chance do I have of turning?”
Micah’s eyes widened and he jumped to his feet. He had the broadest grin on his face and he clapped his hands together loudly. Brutus jumped awake groaning and swearing.
“What the hell, man? First, I have to pretend to sleep through you two quiet-fucking which is just sad, and now you’re giving a round of applause?” Brutus asked, sitting upright.
Mia felt her pale cheeks get hot and she was glad she got dressed before going back to sleep.
“Guys, listen! That’s what Cora did,” Micah said, clapping his hands together.
“What the hell are you yelling about?” Brutus asked, combing his hands through his long blonde hair.
“Blood-letting,” Micah said, nodding.
“What? What’s that?” Mia asked, looking from Micah to Brutus.
“It’s an outlier ceremony,” Brutus said, narrowing his eyes at Micah. “My grandmother did it. Not something my family is proud of, but it worked. The bite didn’t work and her and my granddad wanted kids. Why are we talking about this anyway? What did I miss when I was sleeping?”
“Micah thinks my best friend from high school is a mass murderer,” Mia said, shaking her head.
“My instincts are going crazy, man,”
Micah said, pacing on the tree branch.
“You’re scaring your new girlfriend, bro,” Brutus said, smirking at Mia. “No hard feelings by the way.”
Mia rolled her eyes and looked back over at Micah.
“I know it sounds crazy, but I think Cora wants to be a werewolf,” Micah said.
“Well, how does this work?” Mia asked, drawing her knees to her chest. She suddenly felt very cold.
“You want to take this, Brutus?” Micah said, sitting down next to Mia. He rubbed her shoulders, like he could sense she was freezing.
“Sure. Again, it’s not something we’re proud of. Basically, to turn a human you bite them. Usually by the next day, if they don’t bleed out, they turn. However, if it doesn’t work, which happens, you can bloodlet. Witches do it, and through a lot of weird chants and shit, and of course a lot of human blood, you can turn. Bloodletting works every time, but it should be a last resort after several bites,” Brutus said, leaning on his knees.
Mia tried to process this, but it all seemed so over her head.
“I still don’t get it. So the blood is like a conduit or what?” Mia asked.
“Yes and no. The blood is an ingredient in a spell that unlocks the power of the werewolf venom already in your blood. You have to have been bitten. Usually one human sacrifice will do it, but some people use a lot of bodies to up the chances of them turning,” Brutus said, chewing on his bottom lip.
“I think that’s why the wolves came after your friends,” Micah said.
“But why us? Why not strangers?” Mia asked, feeling tears prick at her eyes.
“It’s more powerful if you know them. It’s some witch rule. My grandmother used a cousin. He was a bad man and hurt people and no one in the family wanted to turn him in, so my grandmother gave his name to the witch in our town and then the werewolves took him,” Brutus said, hanging his head low.
“This just seems so impossible,” Mia said, holding Micah’s hand.
“As impossible as quiet-fucking your new werewolf boyfriend in a tree all night next to another werewolf?” Brutus asked, raising a bushy blond eyebrow.
“Good point,” Mia said, “How do we prove it?”
“We need to follow the blood. It was probably a massacre up there at your campsite. They would have dragged them not too far, to a site set up with the witches. The ceremony would have been done last night. If we hurry, we might be able to find some proof,” Micah said, standing to his feet.
“Then what?” Mia asked, standing up. “We can’t exactly go to the police. You two don’t even have shoes let alone ID to make a police report.”
“Police report,” Brutus scoffed, “girl, we are the police. We don’t need human rules. If this is true, and if your friend wants to be one of us, then I’d like to introduce her to a little thing called karma.”
*****
Mia held on to Micah’s neck as he dove downward from the tree in his wolf form. It felt like she was flying. Her eyes were watery as Micah bounced off of branch after branch. She reluctantly agreed to the men transforming back so they could move faster and was pinching her mouth closed to avoid throwing up. They were right about the speed. It took three leaps to hit the ground and Mia held on tight as Micah tore off through the woods after Brutus. Trees were bowing around them as their massive wolf bodies knocked down the massive pines. Mia yelped and ducked down as a branch came flying past her head.
“Easy, Brutus,” Micah growled, nipping at his tail.
“Ow! Not the ass,” Brutus yelled, speeding up. “You want to get there or not?”
Mia moaned as she saw the rise of the cliff ahead. They were running uphill at top speed, and Mia was so grateful no food was in her stomach.
“Hang on, babe,” Micah said, clawing up the steep face of the cliff.
Before Mia could even take a breath they had scaled the cliff and were on flat ground, racing back towards the campsite. Mia felt tears prick at her eyes as the terrain became more familiar. She closed her eyes and the horrific images played in bold technicolor in her mind. She saw Tatianna, Carissa and Linda being dragged away by massive wolves; kicking, screaming and bleeding into the woods. Even with her eyes tightly shut, she could see malevolent yellow eyes burning into her. She tightened her grip on Micah’s thick, strong neck and cried into his thick gray fur.
“You okay?” Micah asked, still racing ahead.
“I’m fine,” Mia said, wiping her tears on her shirt sleeve.
She would have to be brave. If this was Cora, she would have to stop her. If it was not, Mia still had to find a way to get answers. Either way, they should not die in vain. She had to be brave.
“We’re here,” Brutus said, skidding to a halt.
Micah stopped short behind him and was panting loudly. He dipped his head down so Mia could dismount. Mia felt unsteady on her feet from the sudden stop and braced herself on Micah’s long back. Micah nuzzled her and looked at her with concern as she held her head.
“I’m fine. Just some vertigo,” Mia said, stroking his face.
Brutus jumped up on his hind legs and morphed back into his human form and after a quick sniff of the air, Micah followed suit.
“Smell anything?” Brutus asked, looking around the rampaged campsite.
The sleeping bags were ripped and covered in large dirty paw prints. The fire had long died, and where there was once a large flame was now charged earth and chunks of black charcoaled branches and logs. The packs were still propped against the trees.
“It just smells like wolf and…blood,” Micah said, casting a quick glance at Mia.
“I’m fine. Go on,” Mia said, sniffling. She was not fine, but she needed answers.
“I think they went north,” Micah said.
Mia looked north and something caught her eye. It was a thin wisp of smoke climbing above the canopy of pine trees.
“Guys, look!” Mia said, pointing towards the trees.
“Well, well, you smell that?” Brutus asked, sniffing the air.
“Costus root,” Micah said, nodding.
“What’s that mean?” Mia asked, looking from Brutus to Micah.
“It’s a witch herb. An aphrodisiac. Oh my God, Micah might be right. She’s luring her husband,” Brutus said, collapsing on all fours and transforming back to a wolf.
Brutus tore off through the woods.
“I don’t get it,” Mia said, stepping back so Micah could transform.
“Get on,” Micah said.
Mia obeyed. “What’s happening?” Mia demanded.
“The ceremony is beginning. Cora’s luring her husband so that he can see her transform. We have to hurry.”
Mia hopped on Micah and held on tight.
“What’s the plan?” Mia asked, ducking her head down.
“Kill her.”
*****
Micah, Brutus and Mia paused outside a clearing, watching a group of wolves circle a fire. Mia could not believe what she was seeing. A black woman with long grey dreadlocks was chanting near the fire. The wolves started pacing nervously around the fire, constantly looking over their broad hairy shoulders. Mia gasped seeing the lifeless bodies of Tatianna, Linda and Carissa near the fire. Their skins were gray and their cheeks were sallow.
“They’ve been exsanguinated. I’m so sorry Mia,” Micah whispered, pulling her close.
Mia laid her head against Micah’s chest, watching the witch pour a vial of some dark liquid into the fire. From a tent near the fire, a hooded figure came out. Mia pulled away from Micah and leaned forward, straining her eyes to see the figure. Mia’s stomach leapt. She needed the truth. The black woman, who Mia assumed was the witch, pulled back the figure’s hood back, revealing short, curly blonde hair.
“Oh my God,” Mia said, covering her mouth.
It was Cora. A white wolf walked in front of her and rose on his hind legs. Cora smiled at it and the wolf transformed into a tall, broad shouldered Latino man. He cupped Cora’s face in his hands and kissed her.
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Mia felt sick. It was Cora’s fiancé, Miguel. He pulled off Cora’s coat and even from this distance Mia could see bite marks all over Cora’s arms. Now that Mia was looking at Cora, it was all coming back to her. Cora always wore long sleeves. Even on the hottest days, Cora wore long sleeves. None of the bridesmaids saw Cora try on her dress. In fact, Cora insisted on no one seeing her in the dress until the wedding.
“Mia? You look like you’re seeing red. Keep a clear head,” Brutus said.
“How can I? Look at her! Kissing him like she’s not standing around her dead friends,” Mia said, feeling her body shake.
“Shhh,” Micah said.
It was too late. Several of the wolves had broken ranks and were walking towards them.
“Shit,” Micah said, standing in front of Mia.
“I’ll take care of them. You two run,” Brutus said, collapsing on all fours.
Before Mia could protest, Micah grabbed her hand and pulled her away. They climbed a tree several feet away and hid in the branches. Mia looked back, watching Brutus rip two smaller wolves to shreds.
Brutus was at least twice their size and was quick with their deaths. He may have been a jokester to Mia and Micah, but there was no question watching him now that he was an alpha hunter. In moments, Brutus had taken out four wolves before they could even yelp for help. Mia watched Brutus look around and then stalk silently toward Mia and Micah. In one leap, Brutus was perched in the tree beside Micah in his human form.
“Yuck! Those dogs tasted like shit,” Brutus said, wiping his tongue on the back of his hands.
“Good work, man. What’s the plan?” Micah asked, patting Brutus on his back.
“Those are pups down there. I say we go in gun’s blazing—metaphorically speaking of course. I think the white wolf and Cora are trying to start a pack,” Brutus said, spitting out blood.
“Fucking bitch,” Mia said under her breath.
“The ceremony will start soon. Mia, stay here,” Micah said.
“No!” Mia said, affronted.
“That’s not a request,” Micah said, baring his teeth at her.
“I’m not scared of you,” Mia said, stiffening her shoulders.
“Guys, can we do marriage counseling when we’re not in a tree?” Brutus said.
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